Drier



Dec. 24, 1929. c. HUNNEMAN, JR 1,740,653

DRIER Filed May 14. 1928 Patented Dec. 24, 1929 CABLETON HUNNEMAN, JR., OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS DRIER Application led May 14,

The principal object of my invention is to provide a silnple, compact and inexpensive device that is particularly adapted for the drying of clothes or other articles and especially by the occupants of apartments.

A feature of my invention is a plurality of pivoted arms or spreaders mounted to lie parallel with each other in a horizontal plane when in closed position.

Another feature is a particular arrangement for off-setting the arms with relation to a common pivot so that the arms may be parallel when in closed position.

Another feature is a particular location of knots in the supporting ropes 'or cords to hold the latter-taut when the device is in use.

Other features will be pointed out below:

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a. plan of a device embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a plan of the same, but on a smaller scale, and with the arms in open or extended position;

Figure 4 is a right end elevation; and

Figure 5 is a partial section, enlarged, on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

My device is preferably located so as to be accessible from window 1 in the wall 2 of a building and is mounted on bracket 3 held to wall 2 by screws 4, the bracket having perforated lugs 5 and 6 to receive the pivot rod 7.

I provide a plurality of arms or spreaders 8, 9, 10 and 11, preferably of spruce or some equally tough and flexible material, each being suitably perforated at intervals for passage of the ropes or cords described below. Arm 8 has fixed to it a connecting member,

preferably of metal, and having a portion 12.

ntegral with portion 12, but at right angles to it, are lugs 13 and 14, spaced apart and perforated to receive pivot rod 7. This construction offsets arm 8 from rod 7. that is, the arm 8 is not radial with reference to the pivot rod 7. Arm 11 has a similar connecting member 15 but the lugs of the latter are spaced slightly less apart than the lugs 13 and 14 and are located between lugs 13 and 1928. Serial No. 277,411.

located between the lugs of setting of the arms permits th'em to lie par allel in a horizontal plane position.

arm 9. This offwhen in closed Fixed to arm 8 isa supporting member 16 which is preferably a flat metal strip, bent at a r1ght angle near its top and there per"- forated to receive the supporting members 17), 18 vided for the other arms.

ivot rod 7. Similar and 19 are pro- A cotter pin 20 may be inserted in the pivot rod below member 16 and a cotter in 21 may be similarly inserted above memlier 19 to keep the supporting members in place ax ially of the pivot rod, the supporting members being free to swing on the pivot rod 7.

A cotter pir. 22

may be inserted in the pivot rod 7 just above lug 6 to prevent the pivot ro d from dropping enough to permit its upper end from becom ing free of lug 5. A Cotter pin 22 is preferably applied to the pivot rod just above the lug 13.

Connecting arms 8 and 9 is a locking hinge 23 of the stepladder type and this is slightly bowed as shown to give a sl to ensure holding in the Similar locking hinges 24 an for the other arms.

ight toggle effect locked position. d 25 are provided A clothesline 26, or other suitable line, is knotted at 27 and then passes through a perforation-in arm 11 and extends to arm 10 where it is knotted at 28, then passing through a perforation in arm 10 and being knotted at 29 and extending similarly, as shown, through arms 9 and 8 and being knotted at 30, 31 and 32. The purpose of the knots is to hold the line taut when the arms are spread and while I might hold the stretch of line between any two adjacent arms taut by means of two knots, such as 27 and 29,

because they engage 1() which are remote sides of the arms 11 and from each other, yet for some purposes I prefer to use also the additional knot such as 28.

Additional lines, such as larly knotted, may be provi 33 and 34, simided as desired.

A hook 35 fastened to arm 11 cooperates with eye 3G on arm 8 to hold the arms parallel to each other when in closed position. A Suitable hook 37 may be attached to the building to engage an eye on arm 1l to hold the device againstI swinging when in its closed position.

A holding hook 3S may be attached to the building and may engage either of the eyes 39 or 40, depending on whether the device is used from the right or the left. The hook 3S holds arm 11 and consequently' arm 8 against swinging when in open position and also holds said arms properly spaced from the building or othei` support to prevent possible contact between the clothes and suppoi t.

The bracke Il having been attached to some suitable support, Y'or example adjacent to a window on the wall ol' a dwelling, the upper end of the pivot.rod i' is pa-ff-'ed up through the perforation in the upper lug 5 of the bracket until the lower end ol' the pivot rod clears the lower lug ot' the bracket. 'lhe lower end ol' the pivot rod may then be brought in and lowered into the perforation in the lower lug of the bracket and brought to rest, the cotter piu 22 in the pivot rod inst below the point where the arms are attached to it preventingr its dropping enough to bring the upper end of the pivot rod below lug 5. 'l`he drier is now supported in the bracket vet is free to swing sideways. rl'he clamp hook 35 is unhooked from its eye permitting the arms to swing apart. The hinge 23 is next opened, and locked in position, holding arm 8 at a predetermined distance from arm 9 and stretching the strands of clothesline between arms 8 and 9. The knot 30 prevents the slack line between the unopened succeeding sections ot the device slipping through arm 9 which might cause the line between arms 8 and 9 toV fall slack. The clothes are now placed on the lines between arms 8 and 9 and then hinge 2l between arms 9 and l0 is opened, pushing our arm 9 and stretching the lines between arms 9 and 10. This operation makes the lines between arms 9 and l0 available for use. in the same manner as those between arms S and 9 were made available. The operation is repeated a third time with hinge making the lines between arms l0 and 1lv available. The

device is now fully opened and is comparatively rigid except for the fact that it is still free to swing sideways.- To prevent this occurrence a hook which has been attached to the Wall or window sill is hooked into a cooperating eye on arm l1.

To take in the clothes and fold the drier and remove it from its bracket for storage within the building, the above described steps are reversed.

The device is so simple in design that it. economical of manufacture and may be op` erated by anyone of moderate intelligence. It is light in weight and therefore adaptable to use by women who are almost exclusively the users of such an article. It has no loose parts or pieces'to be handled in operating it, or to be inislaid. It may be placed in, or removed from its bracket by a single simple operation. Vhen folded and stored, it occupies little space and, since it is so easily removable from outside, it can be protected from the weather, within the house. when not in use. It is primarily intended for use by the occupants of apartments who otherwise have to go up or down stairs either to the roof of the building or to the yard, or more especially for those who live in congested districts where neither roof nor yard are available. to obtain outdoor drying of their clothes, since thev washing may be put on the device without the tenant leaving his or her apartment. 'l`he device may be attached to a buildingl at any height since it does not depend for support. on anything except the object to which they bracket is fastened and that in which the eye ot the holding hook is screwed. l l' desired, it may be attached to a post, fence, or similar object near the ground and 0pcrated l'rom the latter.

The er ,e of operation ot the device and its t'i-eelom Yfrom becoming out ot' order are the result of a design which provides no point where wood werks upon wood and might, therefore. bind because ot' exposure to dampuess. and which incorporates no pulleys or points through which the line works which might cause it. to bind or become abraded. "the line is held in the arms at the same point irrespective of whether the device is open or folded because ot' the knots that are tied in it. There are no lines to adjustwhen using the device. In fact it is unnecessary to handle ihem at all except for the custon'iary operation ot' putting the clothes on them. Snow and ice have little or no eil'cet on the operation ot the. drier. as through every point which might be atlected b v their accumulation there is a powerful leverage so that the. user could diz-lodge either with slight keil'ort. ln'inclenient' weather when the ground is uncomfortable undcrtoot it has distinct advantages over h'iers that require their users to stand upon the ground. Except when itis obviously nta'essary, in putting clothes on, or removing them from` the drier. there is no need of having the window at all open, irrespective of the position of the device (i. e. open or closed l. 4

)lv device minimizes the possibility of the clothes coming in contact with the metal work ol the device which, even it finished with a non-rusting surface. might soil them. The likelihood otl the clothes being` blown against the wall is small since those nearest it are at a considerable angle to tht` latter7 rather than parallel. and by the -design of the drier being such that when fully extended and hooked. it becomes comparatively rigid in place pre.-

venting its being swung about against the wall or tossed up and down by heavy gusts of wind. The lines being parallel and adequately spaced throughout their entire length, the clothes are subject to a sufficient circulation of air to dry them quickly and are unlikely to come in contact with one another. lVhen an opened section has been tilled with clothes and is being swung out so that the succeeding one may be opened and filled, the relative positions of its arms do not change, thereby keeping its lines equally and fully stretched. as some ot' the clothes might be unduly blown about if one or more of the lines fell slack. Adequate clothesline is provided, yet it is accessible from a single window because of the peculiar design of the drier which permits one section to be fully opened with its lines equally and fully stretched and loaded with washing while the succeeding sections are still unopened. The shrinkage of the clothesline which may occur if the drier is carelessly exposed to rain is taken care ot by the flexibility of the arms.

The size, shape, and style of the door or window adjacent to which the drier may be attached is of no consequence, it being assumed that any kitchen, bedroom.y or other Window that the user Amight select would be at least of the smallest size that general practice provides for such a room. lIt unnecessary to cut` bore through, or in any way iujure or modify the sash, frame, casing or sill in installing the device with the exception of screwing the eye of the holding hook into the sill, and this is optional with the user as it may be attached to the wall below it. The holding hook is of such length that it will fit any ordinary condition and in cases where it is too long to extend out at right angles to the wall. its eye may be so placed that the hook extends out from the building to the arm diagonally.

Vhen used from a window or door, the drier may be placed either to the right or to the left Without affecting its operation, as it opens or folds from either end.

Because of its peculiar hinge construction the arms lie parallel and in the same horizontal plane when folded, although all swing on a common pivot. providing a small space between each two to allow room for the knots and slack line, and making for a more compact device than would be possible did the arms radiateI from a common center.

The invention is not confined to that illustrated in the accompanying drawing as the number of arms and lines, and their length, and other dimensions, might be varied considerably, and minor changes might be made in the construction, Without departing from its principle.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a plurality of at least three independently-movable arms pivoted on a common vertical pivot, said arms being parallel in a horizontal plane when in closed position; a line between, and connected t0, adjacent arms; and means to hold said arms properly spaced from each other when in open position to keep said line substantially taut even when the other arm or arms are in folded position.

2. A device of the character described comprising two independently-movable arms pivoted on a common vertical pivot, at least one of said arms being otlset with relation to said pivot, said arms beingr parallel in a horizontal plane when in closed position; a line between, and connected to, said arms; and means to hold said arms properly spaced from each other when in open position to keep said line substantially taut.

3. A device of the character described corn prising a plurality of at least three independently-movable pivoted arms, said arms being parallel in a horizontal plane when in closed position; a line extending from each arm to the adjacent arm; and means to hold desired adjacent arms in open position with the llne between them taut even when the other arm or arms are in folded position.

4. A device of the character described cornprising a plurality otieat least three arms mounted to swing horizontally on a fixed common pivot: a plurality of elements for supporting clothes and extending from one arm to they adjacent arm, said elements being parallel when the device is open; and means to hold the arms in open position.

A device of the character described coniprising a plurality of at least three arms; a support for said arms upon which said arms are mounted to swing horizontally; means carried by the arms for supportingr clothes; and means to hold desired adjacent arms properly spaced away from said Support when in open position even it the remainder of said plurality may be in folded position.

(RLE'ION HUNNEMAN, Je. 

